The invention relates to the dispensing of attachments and more particularly to the dispensing of attachments from continuous stock, with the individual attachments of the stock used as plastic staples.
One type of device for the dispensing of attachments is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,039,078 of Aug. 2, 1977; 4,121,487 of Oct. 24, 1978; 4,111,347 of Sept. 5, 1978 and 4,179,063 of Dec. 18, 1979. In these patents the attachments are included in continuously connected stock formed by two elongated and continuous plastic side members coupled by a plurality of plastic cross links, which preferably are equidistantly spaced apart.
The stock may be produced from flexible plastics material such as nylon and polypropylene by molding or by stamping. Illustrative techniques for producing the stock are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,039,078, 4,121,487, 4,111,347 and 4,179,063.
Such attachments can be dispensed to couple buttons to fabric, merchandising tags to articles of commerce, and in the general attachment of one item to another. In particular in the case of dispensing devices with dual needles the attachments can be dispensed and used as plastic staples.
It is an object of the invention to facilitate the dispensing of attachments. A related object is to facilitate the dispensing of attachments that are used as plastic staples.
Another object of the invention is to facilitate the severing of individual attachments from continuously connected stock. A related object is to facilitate the formation of individual attachments from continuous stock to serve as plastic staples.
Still another object of the invention is to increase the reliability and utility of devices used in the dispensing of attachments, particularly attachments that are intended to serve as plastic staples.